Shining Stars

The Sport of Philanthropy is a publication created by social enterprise Champions for Philanthropy that highlights exemplary philanthropic endeavors and activism among professional athletes, teams and major sports leagues.

Former NFL defensive tackle and 2003 Super Bowl Champion Ellis Wyms has become a passionate advocate for empowering youth through computer science education. A Mississippi native and eight-year NFL veteran with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, Wyms recently launched Athletes for Computer Science (AFCS), a program powered by the Wyms Foundation that inspires elementary school children to explore careers in computer science…

Aaron Gordon is finally getting a chance to live the NBA dream to its fullest. The Orlando Magic forward is in the middle of the best season of his career, on a team contending for the playoffs no less. He also made his movie star debut this past offseason, appearing as an antagonist in the basketball comedy “Uncle Drew.” And, perhaps most importantly, he’s getting a chance to give back to the community.

This past May, retired NBA All-Star Ray Allen and his Ray of Hope Foundation paid it forward in a powerful way in the city where Allen played his final games. As part of an ongoing effort to reduce the digital divide across America, Allen and his foundation presented Lake Stevens Middle School in Miami Gardens, Florida, with 30 Acer Veriton desktop computers and flat-screen monitors.